U.S. patent application number 10/508446 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-07 for actuator for a belt latch mechanism.
Invention is credited to Ebert, Bernd.
Application Number | 20050146420 10/508446 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7969101 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050146420 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ebert, Bernd |
July 7, 2005 |
Actuator for a belt latch mechanism
Abstract
The invention relates to an actuator, which is used in a belt
latch mechanism of restraint systems in motor vehicles and which
indicates the proper locking of the tongue of the safety belt when
the tongue is inserted into the belt latch mechanism. The actuator
is provided in the form of a double-contact actuator, whereby the
contact steel plates are arranged inside a contact space that is
closed at the top, and the contact can be actuated by a slide by
moving this slide into a channel situated to the side of the inner
space of the housing.
Inventors: |
Ebert, Bernd; (Rodewisch,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JORDAN AND HAMBURG LLP
122 EAST 42ND STREET
SUITE 4000
NEW YORK
NY
10168
US
|
Family ID: |
7969101 |
Appl. No.: |
10/508446 |
Filed: |
October 13, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
March 15, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/DE03/00840 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/384.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 24/45623 20150115;
B60R 2022/4816 20130101; Y10T 24/45665 20150115; B60R 22/48
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
340/384.1 |
International
Class: |
G08B 003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 19, 2002 |
DE |
20204318.5 |
Claims
1-6. (canceled)
7. Actuator for us in a buckle of a safety belt for indicating that
a tongue of the belt has been inserted into the buckle and properly
latched, comprising two contact elements, a housing and a slide,
the contact elements comprising contact-effecting portions, a
contact-effecting portion of a first of the contacts comprising two
contact blades, the housing comprising a space in which the
contact-effecting portions are contained, the space being
sufficiently bounded by walls of the housing to at least
substantially prevent incursion of foreign matter into the space,
the housing also including an open-ended channel adjacent said
space and partitioned from said space by a portion of said walls,
the slide being slidably received in said channel for actuating the
contact elements so that the respective contact-effecting portions
thereof are brought into or out of contact with each other.
8. Actuator according to claim 7, wherein a second of the contact
elements further comprises a portion projecting through a space
between the blades of the first contact element and at least
partially into the channel so that said projecting portion of the
second contact element is engageable by the slide to move the
contact-effecting portion of the second contact element out of
contact with the contact-effecting portion of the first contact
element.
9. Actuator according to claim 7, wherein a second of the contact
elements further comprises a portion projecting directly at least
partially into the channel so that said projecting portion of the
second contact element is engageable by the slide to move the
contact-effecting portion of the second contact element into
contact with the contact-effecting portion of the first contact
element.
10. Actuator according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the second contact
element comprises a contact spring and the two blades of the first
contact element are elastically bendable independently of one
another when the contact-effecting portions thereof are contacted
by the contact-effecting portion of the second contact element.
11. Actuator according to claim 10, wherein the contact-effecting
portion of said contact spring is of hammer-like shape and the
projecting portion of said contact spring is curved.
12. Actuator according to claim 7, further comprising a frame at an
end of the housing opposed to an end of the housing adjacent
wherein the contact-effecting portions of two contact elements are
housed, the frame defining a space for projection thereinto of
connections of electrical wires to the contact elements.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an actuator that is used in
a belt buckle in retention systems in motor vehicles and that
indicates the proper latching of the tongue of the safety belt
inserted into the buckle.
[0002] Known from DE 43 38 485 A1 is a fail-safe checking safety
belt lock with microswitch, whereby the microswitch is coupled to
two function parts that are independent of the latching process for
the lock such that the microswitch does not assume its closed
position, which is required for actuating other functional elements
of the safety device, unless the two function elements of the latch
are situated in the latched position simultaneously.
[0003] Furthermore, known from Eduard Hartmann GmbH is an actuator
that is used in buckles. This actuator is a double-contact
actuator, the contact springs or blades of which in the unloaded
condition are adjacent on opposing sides to the contact points and
produce the contact. One of the two blades is embodied as a
double-contact blade in order to enhance actuator reliability. The
actuator is embodied such that it is arranged laterally in the
buckle housing such that when the belt tongue is inserted, a slide
made of an insulating material slides between the contact blades.
This slide remains after the belt tongue latches between the
contact blades of the actuator and thus interrupts the contact.
This indicates that the safety belt is prepared and properly
latched in the lock.
[0004] Since the actuator has a housing that is open on top, in
order to enable the slide made of an insulating material to move
between the contact blades, foreign matter such as for instance
liquids or solid particles can penetrate through the opening of the
buckle housing from outside. This can have a negative impact on the
safety function, since contact interruption falsely signals proper
latching of the belt tongue.
[0005] The contact blades curve outward in the upper area in order
to make it easier to insert the slide between the contact zones.
This results in a near V-shape in the upper area. Penetrating
foreign matter builds up in this area and is then brought directly
into the contact area by the slide.
[0006] Furthermore, automated assembly of this actuator during
manufacture is not possible since the contact blades must be
connected to corresponding cables before they are inserted into the
actuator housing and the actuator blades are embodied such that
after installation they are under a certain pre-tension. The
contact blades, with the attached cables, must be inserted largely
by hand into the actuator housing.
[0007] The object of the invention is therefore to embody an
actuator for a buckle for safety belt systems in motor vehicles
such that the contact area is largely protected from penetrating
foreign matter and it is suitable for fully automated assembly
during manufacture of the actuator with subsequent largely
automated connection of the cable.
[0008] This object is inventively achieved in that the actuator is
embodied as a double-contact actuator, whereby the contact elements
are arranged in an upper closed contact space and the contact can
be actuated by a slide moving in a channel arranged lateral to the
interior housing space.
[0009] The actuator can be embodied as a break contact unit or a
make contact unit. When the actuator is designed as a break contact
unit, the contact elements penetrate on opposing sides, whereby the
contact can be interrupted by the action of a slide on a contact
spring. When the actuator is designed as a make contact unit, the
contact elements do not penetrate, whereby in this case contact can
be made by the action of a slide on a contact spring.
[0010] The contact element not actuated by the slide is embodied as
a fixed contact element, whereby due to the tension force of the
contact element actuated by the slide, which contact element is
embodied as a contact spring, in the unactuated condition the two
blades are elastically curved independent of one another. The free
space required for this is provided in the interior housing space.
As a result of the bending of the contact blades, contact friction
occurs at the points of contact, both when breaking and making the
contact. This leads to a certain self-cleaning in the contact area,
which has a positive effect on the reliability of the actuator. The
action of the slide on the contact spring actuates the contact. It
[contact spring] is embodied in a hammer-like shape in the contact
area and is designed curved such that the curved part projects into
a channel arranged lateral to the interior housing space.
[0011] The hammer-shaped area of the contact spring ensures that
the blades of the double-contact blade reliably make contact. The
contact is actuated by the slide in that it moves when the belt
tongue is inserted into the buckle. The slide strikes the curved
area [of the] contact spring. As it continues to move, the curved
area moves in the direction of the contact space and initiates
actuation.
[0012] The invention is explained in more detail using an exemplary
embodiment. The associated figure illustrates a section through the
inventive actuator.
[0013] The actuator, which is designed as a break contact,
comprises the actuator housing 1, which is closed by means of a
cover (not shown) above the connection space 5.
[0014] The actuator has an interior housing space 2a enclosed in
the contact area. A connection space 5 is provided in the lower
area of the actuator. The fixed contact element 6 and the contact
spring 7 terminate therein. They can be connected to the connection
lines 10 here. The connection space 5 is embodied open on both
sides.
[0015] The contact spring 7 has a curved area 9 and a hammer-shaped
area 8. The curved area 9 penetrates the fixed contact element 6 in
the area of the double contact blades and projects into the channel
3. A downward movement by the slide 4 as a result of the belt
tongue being inserted into the buckle acts on the contact spring 7
and interrupts the contact.
[0016] The hammer-shaped area 8 of the contact spring 7 forms the
seating surface on both sides on the blades of the fixed contact
element 6 and thus the two contact points of the actuator.
[0017] The contact blades of the fixed contact element 6 in the
contacted condition are under a bending stress and are therefore
elastically curved. When the contact spring is actuated, they move
back into the uncurved condition. Thus contact friction occurs in
the contact area. This also occurs when the contact is made when
the contact spring 7 springs back into the unactuated condition
when the slide 4 moves upward.
[0018] The actuator embodied in this manner can be assembled fully
automatically. The fixed contact element 6 and the contact spring 7
can be inserted by means of appropriate automated equipment,
specifically in a sequence in which the contact spring 7 is
inserted first and then the fixed contact element 6 is inserted.
After insertion, this is then pushed into its final installed
position. Once the interior housing space 2 is closed by means of a
cover, the functioning of the actuator can be tested. Then the
connection lines 10 can be attached. This is largely automated
using crimping or welding, since the housing 1 is open on both
sides in the area of the connection space 5.
[0019] The contact space 2 is embodied closed from the top, so that
foreign matter cannot penetrate into the contact area. Thus
protection from malfunctions due to soiling is provided.
[0020] Key
[0021] 1--Actuator housing
[0022] 2--Interior housing space
[0023] 2a--Upper interior housing space
[0024] 3--Channel
[0025] 4--Slide
[0026] 5--Connection space
[0027] 6--Fixed contact element
[0028] 7--Contact spring
[0029] 8--Hammer-shaped area
[0030] 9--Curved area
[0031] 10--Connection lines
[0032] 11--Frame
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